Combination venetian blind tape fastener, cord anchor, pulley support, and cover therefor



Nov. 24, 1953 R H WRICgHT ET AL 2,660,238.

COMBINATION VE'NET-IAN BLIND TAPE FASTENER, CORD ANCHOR, PULLEY SUPPORT, AND COVER THEREFOR Filed Sept. 18, 1950 2 Sheet s-Sheet l H. WRIGHT ET Ax.V

Nov. 24, 1953 R.

' COMBINATION VENETIAN BLIND TAPE FASTENER, CORD ANCHOR, PULLEY SUPPORT, AND COVER 'THEREFOR Filed Sept. 18, 1950 eet 2 2 ASheets--Sh JNVENIoR.

vg BY Patented Nov. 24, 1953 ATIEINTY OFFICE COMBINATION VENETIAN BLIND TAPE FAS- TENER, CORD ANCHOR, PULLEY SUPPORT, AND COVER THEREFOR Richard H. Wright, Bratenahl, and Anthony Zay,

Cleveland, Ohio, assignors to Guarantee Specialty Manufacturing Company,

Ohio, a corporation Cleveland,

Application September 18, 1950, Serial No. 185,439

1 Claim. (Cl. 160-173) This invention relates to Venetian blinds and more particularly toV novel parts of such struc- Vture adapted to be used therein, whereby slat supporting tapes may be readily connected to and disconnected from the tilt and bottom rails or bars thereof, and in addition, novel means are provided for anchoring the lift cord, together with pulley means over which the lift cords are to be reeved, and f-urther a cover member is provided for such cord anchor and pulley supporting members whereby the tapes may be maintained in xed relation with the same.

It is an object `of this invention to provide simple means for connecting Venetian blind tapes to the tilt rails and bottom rails employed in` Venetian blinds, the said tape connecting means including means for anchoring cords thereto and `likewise for supporting p-ulleys or the likeV therein.

It is a further object of this invention to prog vide a novel clamping device whereby the tapes availed of in Venetian blind construction may Y be maintained in their position on the tape fasteners or connectors.

- l vIt-isra further object of this invention to pro- `vide a combination tape fastener, cord anchor,

as by metal `stamping or the like, the same being suitable for emplacement and removal from tilt bars or rails and bottom bars or rails, as the case may be.

It is a further object of this inventionto provide a cord anchor device which includes means for kfastening tapes thereto, which cord anchoring device may'also be equipped with a pulley,

V,over which lift cords may be reeved or trained. It is afurtherobject of this invention to provide thenovel tape fastener, cord anchor, and

other types of rails or bars presently in use, o

which may be used in the future.

Other and further objects of this invention will be readily apparent and clearly understood from consideration of the description of the various component parts taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

Y view disclosing a cord anchor device when used vand pulley support, which may be readily formed,

pulley support, device `with a removable cover l Q ',member, adapted to frictionally engage a tilt bar .or tilt rail and a bottom rail, whereby the same may be removed, preliminary to removal of tapes n from connections therewith, Vand subsequently,

pearance of the blind and at the same time performing a useful function with regard to connection of tape to the various parts thereof, as requiredby such construction. o It is a further object of this invention to provide the novel devices above referred to, which yare `particularly suitable foruse with Venetian blinds vwhich employ metal -tilt rails' and fbottom Y i bars of conventional construction, or in the alternative, fthe vsame'devices maybe used with in conjunction with a pulley similarly arranged, together with a cover on a tilt bar or bottom rail. l l

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken about on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figures is a bottom plan View showing the cord anchoring device in place in a bottom Vrail or the like with the tape connected thereto whereby the said bottom rail is supported in theVenetian blind. This samev view discloses the cover plate as being emplaced over the tape fastener.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view showing one method of reeving lift cords in a Venetian blind, whereby to produce what is known as a compound lifting effect. Y

Figure 5 is a View in perspective of the cord anchor and tape fastener device, looking at the bottom thereof.

Figure ty is a perspective view of the cover plate orcover illustrating the formation thereof forthe purposes of this invention. l

Figure `'7 is a transverse sectional view taken about on the line m'l of` Figure 3, showing the pulley support in place in one form of bottom rail or tilt rail, together with the tapes inen-` gagement with the tape fastener, and the V,cover plate in place to maintain'thek tapes in their connected relationship with the 'said fastener( Referring Vtoltigures land l inthe drawings, the cord anchor', pulley support,and tape fasteningv devices vare' shown emplaced in a tilt rail or bottom rail, as the case may be.

Figure '7 disclosesV the particular form of bottom rail with which the devices arelprimarily adaptedV to be used, said bottom rail including a concave body portion l of suitable width, provided atits longitudinal edges with hollow flange portions 2 and 3. It will be apparent that this channelbetween the said side flange members 2 is adaptedY toreceivel thereinfthe fcordf anchor and pulley supporting members designated 5 and prises a substantially U-"shaped'body'portion '1 1;

having ofistanding anges 8 and 9 formed integrally therewith, the saidflanges'and '9 inturn being provided with toothllikeltapepenetrating members I at the outer-edgesV of the fflanges and 9. These members I0 extend from the edges of the respective flanges inwardly :toward the juncture of the cangas with the u-shape'd chan'- 4 sides of the said rail is forced over the toothlike tape penetrating members I0 so as to maintain the ends of the tape in connected relation with the .said bottom Arail. `If .the .top rail or tiltraihis of similar structure vtotfhat just referred to it will be apparent that either one or 7the other of the units 5 or 6 may be used to secure the Fsaid tape to the tilt rail. In this parfticular-arrangement it will be immaterial which '.onerisused inasmuch as the cord is not desir- Aably anchoredthereto nor is it reeved over a pulley such :as-I5', :but normally passes upwardly finto' `theliead-rail of the blind and thence over pulleyslprovidedftherein to one side or the other of `saidhead rail, 4into a position where the same may be :grasped-by --an operator of the blind for nel or body member 'I, and at an angular relation to the surfaces of the flanges. The bottom t'portion of '-the-U-shaped .bodymember 'I isrprovided with slot lI I (seeFigure l), the said. slot I I being reduced vat its inner .end by the .locking labutments I2, the said abutments I2 providing a"decreased passageway which opens into :cord ireceiving openingl I3. It will be apparent .from the foregoing that a cord such as shown'in Fig- `ure 2-'de`signated Ill, may be knotted at 4.its .end

--as'at-Idafwhereby the body of the cord Ill may Icefcaused to-enter the cordreceiving opening I3 `ci" Figure l1, and subsequently be retained therein-bymeans of the knot I la on the said cord. Re- -`f`erring again to Figure l, it will be noted that the lpulley support member 6 is substantially identical with the cord anchor 5 as to the U- shaped body portion "I and-the flanges 8 and 9, `together with the tooth-like tape penetrating "members I0 formed with the said flanges 8 and 9fbut in this supporting member the slot I4 there is not providedvvith any reduced section. 'In-'thisform of the member a suitable pulley I5 is provided, supported in opposite sides of the `Ll-,shapedbody 'I Ybymeans of a rivet I6 or the like Tn this conjunction also see the disclo- "sure of Figure "7, which more particularly illustrates the manner of mountingof the lpulley lI5 'inthesupport 'S therefor.

' Referring to Figure l, it will be noted that the rail disclosed therein is provided with substan- `tiallly"rectangular openings Il adapted to receive "therein the lli-shaped body member 'I of the cord anchor and pulley lsupports 5 and 6 respectively. iii/"hen the members lv5 `and 6 have been inserted fin the openings il therefor, provided in the rail,

the same will be in substantially the position 'shown :in Figures `2 and 7. in the usual Venetian blind wherein only two ltape. units are availed of, the normal provision wouldbe that two `of the members' will be Aposi- "ticned inthe bottom rail and vhave the cord I4 with'the knot Ilia in place therein. The head rail lofthe device will be provided with two YVpul- .leys such as are shown in Figure '7, suitably 'em- .placed in'a channel therein, whereby the lift cords jmay be reeved thereover and thence to one'end or the other of the head rail, whereby suitable operation thereof will eiect raising and `lowering of the slats'and bottomrail of the blind, Vin accordance with usual Venetian blind construction.

YIn order -to provide the necessary fasteningof the tapes, lwhich are -used commonly with VVe- .fnetian rblinds, the units comprising the cord-anchor 5 :and pulley supporting member 6,'are1for rexa'mple, :placed .inthe .bottom rail, as showninv Figure 3, and the tape at its ends atV respective It will be clear that n1 ha raising and lowering control of the slats thereof.

- :Referring again to Figure 3, wherein the tape. generally designated I8 is fastened at its ends i9 and l20 to opposite tooth-like penetrating members i0 -on the cord anchor 5, it should be noted that the possibility of the ends of the tapebecoming disengaged with the said members IIZI` exists. rlhereforegwe provide a cover generally designated 2i, such as is illustrated in Figure 6, and which comprises a substantially rectangular member including transverse portions 22, at opposite ends thereof, the said transverse portions being provided with downwardly depending frictional engaging members 23 adapted to coact with the sides of the .bottom rail or tilt rail, as the case may be, rto maintain the cover member 2! in place thereon. .The main body portion24y of the cover member 2! is raised 'slightly with i .respect to the planes of the surfaces of the transversely extending members 22 so as to provide an opening between the inner surface thereof and the surface of the rail to which the same may be affixed, vwhereby the unit, suchasa-cord anchor, maybe completely covered vby the said .cover member 2i. The cover member 2| is shown as beingin place in Figure "3 so as to cover up the tooth-like tape penetrating members I0 as well as the cord anchor member 5 asa whole. The cover member 2| provides an additional function, in that 'it prevents the unauthorized 'or accidental displacement of the ends I9 and of thetape I8, when the same has been ad- Justed in -its engagement with the tape penetrating members Iii. This is very clearly shown in Figure '7, wherein the main body member 24 of 'the cover memberi is shown as having its inner surraceV 1n contact with the ends of the tape'pene- Y trating members Idand the members 23 in fric- Vtional engagement with opposite vsides of a bottom rail, in this instance. The cover member additionally `provides means for maintaining the Y Vcord anchor V5 or pulley support in its position 'in lthe bottom rail or other rail, as is contemplated by this construction by reason of its contactwiththe pen'erating members I0. This 'cover plate will therefore be seen to serveseveral nec- `essary and desirable functions in cooperation with the cord iranchor and 'pulley supporting members.

'Referring'now to Figure 4, Wherein'is disclosed a diagrammatic illustration of the .'reeving of cords in a compound blind, it will be at once apparent 'that the various members whichcom- :prise .our invention, viz., the tape Ifastenencord l YVanchor, :pulley support, fand cover therefor, lare adapted lto very readily be incorporated in lsuch 'a blind `-so rasftocarr-y out the compound lifting `-ifunction whichzis :necessarily ipresentlin a 'blind which is fitted in a wide Window, and which.

therefore, of necessity avails of a plurality of tapes, more than two, the same being of necessity fastened to the tilt rail and to the bottom rail in such a construction. In order to more particularly point out the desirable features of lour invention in connection with Figure 4, it should be noted that a member formed with a pulley, viz., a member 6, may be appropriately positioned in position A in said figure Where-by the cord may be reeved thereover, and the tape which is commonly used in such a position xed thereto. It will be apparent that at position B a pulley support or supporting member 6 may be desirably used whereby the cord may be reeved over the same and then upwardly again into the head bar of the blind. In view of the foregoing, a multiplicity of units of the type beingI referred to may be used at such positions throughout the width of a blind to effect the compound lifting thereof which is desirable in a heavy and wide blind.

While no tilt rail is shown in this construcl tion, it will be clear that the members 5 or 6, as the case may be, may be availed of for use with the tilt rail to secure the tapes thereto which are located at positions A and B in such View. It will, or course, be understood that the cover members 2| will be used at each of the positions A and B and in corresponding positions in the tilt rail if either of the members 5 or 6 is used therewith.

'I'he foregoing description of the devices which comprise our invention, will make readily apparent their particular usefulness and also that the same may be easily formed of metal or the like, preferably, although not necessarily limited to such construction. It will also be understood that our devices are designed for use with metal f tilt rails and bottom rails whereby tapes and cords may be readily attached and detached therefrom without the necessity for providing special loops in the tape or tapes which are at present required with certain tape connecting constructions. In addition, the various devices may obviously be used with wooden rails, whereby the same desirable characteristics previously referred to are likewise present.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

In Venetian blind con-struction, in combination, a rail comprising a concave body portion having spaced hollow ange portions providing a longitudinal channel between the said ange portions, the rail being cut away at the channel portion to provide an opening therethrough, a unitary cord and tape connecting member com- 6 prising a U-shaped body detachably inserted through said opening to occupy a position in said channel and being formed of a depth approximately that of the channel, the sides of the connecting member being each formed with a laterally projecting flange and said flanges extending in opposite directions and overlapping in contacting relation the adjacent faces of the hollow channel portions of the rail, each flange being formed at its outer edge with penetrating projections bent inwardly from the edges and away from the rail body, tapes having ends thereof passed over the channel portions of the rail transverse thereto but directly engaging the anges of the connecting member that contact said channel portions, said tape ends having the said penetrating projections passing therethrough, and a cover member consisting of a substantially rectangular body formed with oilstanding end projections at its side edges in frictional detachable engagement with corresponding edges of the rail, the main area of the cover member between spaced pairs of the end projections being raised slightly to form a space in which the tape passes between the cover and the adjacent portions of said flanges, said cover extending over the flanges of the connecting member and in substantial contact with the penetrating members extending therefrom and wholly housing the flanges, their projections and the adjacent tape ends penetrated by the last named projections.

RICHARD H. WRIGHT. ANTHONY ZAY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,079,852 Grassby May 11, 1937 2,114,057 Lorentzen Apr. l2, 1938 2,421,505 Hunter June 3, 1947 2,491,181 Hunter Dec. 13, 1949 2,508,742 Bell May 23, 1950 2,520,109 Rosenbaum Aug. 22, 1950 2,527,104 Schaefer Oct. 24, 1950 2,546,534 Znidarsic Mar. 27, 1951 2,561,141 Schaefer July 17, 1951 2,569,173 Junkunc Sept. 25, 1951 2,579,137 Bruner Dec. 18, 1951 2,616,496 Junkunc Nov. 4, 1952 2,618,329 Nelson Nov. 18, 1952 2,623,581 Nelson Dec. 30, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 14,109 Great Britain 1898 1,704 Great Britain 1899 

